Well-pumping apparatus



2 Sheets-Sheet l May 7, 1929. I J. R. ROBB WELL PUMPING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 6, 1927 i in Patented May 7, 1929.

untrue staresm1? em errree;

JAMESR; Rose;- or OIISTON, o RL-AHoivrm,

FEEL-PUMPING APPARATUS;

Applicationa filed; August 6, 1927, v Serial No, 211 ,1324

F the art.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, whereinv for the purpose o ti illustration: isv shown a preferred embodimentof my. invention and wherein 4- I Figure 1 is a side'el'evation-of pumping apparatus including aivalve and rod connector constructedv in accordance with my invention; t

Figure 2isa vertical sectional View theretlirough; f

F'gure 3 is a vertical sectional view: at right anglesato" the view of Figure 2;: x i

Figuredis-a view similar tosthat of, Figure:.2 but with theplunger inielevation;

Figure 5 is a section=onz the line 5 5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6-is ascetiononthe*linew6+-6 of; Figu-re-8g 7 Referring; now more particularly, to the drawings, thenumeral 10 generally designet-es a coupling having. in.- its lower enda threaded bore-11 adapted to receive, the threaded pin: 12 of a. traveling valve; generallydesig'n ated' at 13. This coupling element at its upper end is exteriorly threaded, as at T4, for engagement withinterior threads provided upon the lower end of a barrel15 and has at its upper end a vertically extending spindle 16 projecting intothebore l'Z of the barrel. The upper end of the spindlelli has a reduced extension, 18 providinga guldepm for a ball thrust bearing 19. Bctween the ballthrust bearing and the upper end of the coupling member, a springQO surrounds the stem 16, serving; toconstantly urge thethru'st bearing 19- upwardly. This bearing bore lZ o'fi thebarreh The barrel. 15 has adjacent its upper end and preferably at diai metrically opposed, pointsinwardllv projectihg lugs 21-, theselugs preferably bei-ng 'arts the f ranged in "er-tically' aligned pairs, as indie cated. A plunger 22 is provided which; at

its; upper end, is-adapted at23, for connection with the rodiline, generally designated 7 at 24'. its lower end, the peripheigvofl the plunger is; provided; with a pair of bayonet ginoves, the vertical portions: 25 of whicli; are preten- .ably' aligned. Eaehlbaybnetgroove has honzontal branch; grooves, 26 corresponding in number to the number of; lugs 2.1"which; are

v arranged invertical alignment, in the pres-c ent. instance twoof the braneh, groovesbeing provided, These branch grooves are ventically spaced; apantthesame distanoeasthe lugs; Eachbranch grooveat alpoint. spaced from the vertical groove has an nlargeinent forming acove 27, which is. confined-'teltlie lower walLofithe groove, so.thatafter the-lugs 21 enter the branch groovesg the plunger Z2 mayv havea, slight vertical; movement, "This vertical with of thebranch. groove, 7

c Above its lower end, the plunger has a; diametrically extending slot 28 the endsof Y which vertically align with the vertical portions 25 ot thebayonet; grooves and"; conmovenient: should. be, equal, to. the,

nectedtherewith by vertically extending grooves 29: Extended through" the slot 28 is a urshaped'y member the armsBOf. of which are downturned. and operatein the grooves 29 and the upper ends of the vertical portions 25oii'th'e'bayonet grooves The pll'lfl ger hasan axlalbore 31,,the,upp,er; end. of which extends, above the upper end" of theYsI'Qt'ZS and hasse'atedf against the upper wall thereof a' spring; 32., thej lo'wer end of Whichbears'on the" cross bar 3301; he ufi iilp dl member, t constantly urge, the same downwardly; In the uppermost positionlof-theU-shapedniembet, the lower ends, ot'iftsarms 30 elealqthe uppermost branch groove 261and'iin the1iowermost positionthereof, the ends of'thearrns close the mouth of thisbrancllgroove. secured to t-he cross barc33, of the U;-sh ape d member'is an operating stem 34, WhlCll projects downwardly through the bore-3 1 of the plunger and an axial opening; 351 formediin the thrust bearing topen gage the end of the reduced extension 18; oi the stein 1 6' of the coupling member] 10).

The operation is as fbllows Theworking valive iss c-rewedflin the lower end of the coupling member 10, this coupl gQmember and the barrel having been in assembled relation. The plunger then; inserted? in the upper en'dofjthej hatrelgthejlugs'ztfentiering the vertical portions of the grooves. As these lugs move upwardly in the vertical portions of the bayonet grooves, the uppermost lugs will engage the lower ends of the arms of the U-shaped member, forcing the same upwardly against the action of the spring 32. lVhen the lugs are aligned with the branch grooves 26, the plunger is rotated to engage these lugs in the branch grooves and as soon as the lugs leave the vertical portions of the grooves, the U-shaped member is released and moves downwardly, so that its legs close the outer ends of the upper branches '26 preventing return of the lugs therethrough. The enlargements 27 are of a depth equal to the distance through which the arms 80 must move and the downward movement of the U-shaped member does not actually take place until the lugs are engaged in the enlargements 27 and the plunger 22 is moved upwardly. In this assembled relation, the valve and rods may be lowered into the well. The spring 20 forcing the thrust bearing 19 against the lower end of the plunger 22 const-a-ntly'urges this plunger upwardly, so that the lugsare maintained seated in the enlargements against any ordinary stress or resistance provided by the working valve.

When it is desired that the working valve be released to permit withdrawal of the rods, this is accomplished by lowering the rods until the lower end of the'working valve comes to rest upon the usual standing valve or lower end of its barrel (not herein disclosed) at which time, the weight of the'rods will be placed upon .the plunger 22, forcing the samedownwardly against the action of the spring 20. At this time, the thrust bearing 19 is seated upon the upper end of the stem 16 and supports the weight of the rods to avoid unnecessary friction. During the downward movement, the operating stem 3d engaging against the reduced extension 18 of the stem 16 is forced upwardly against the action of the spring 32, moving the U shaped member upwardly, so that the lower ends of its arms clear the upper branch groove and the plunger may be rotated to bring the lugs 21 and vertical portions 25 of the bayonet grooves into alignment. hen aligned in this manner, the plunger 22 may, of course, be withdrawn, leaving the barrel 15 and coupling member 10 attached to the valve. It will, of course, be obvious that recoupling may be had by reversing this operation, To assist in guiding the plunger 22 into the bore 17 of the barrcl'15, the lower end of the plunger is slightly rounded or tapered, as indicated at 36.

It will be obvious that by use of a device of this character a ready coupling of the valve and rods may be obtained and at the same time accidental disconnection of these elements is avoided. It is pointed out that by use of a device of this character, the opera-- tor is enabled to connect the rods after the working barrel and tubing have been installed, thus enabling use of a working barrel which is of considerably greater size than the tubing. Under these circumstances, it will be obvious that the working barrel. would have to be placed in the barrel at the time the tubing was run and without the use of a device of this character, itwould be necessary that the tubing and rods be run simultaneously which would, of course, be extremely difiicult. It will also be obvious that the structure disclosed is capable of a certain range of change and modification without materially departing from the spirit of the invention and I accordingly do not limit myself to such specific structure except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim 1. In combination, a barrel, a plunger in the bore of the barrel, the barrel in its bore having a lug and the plunger having a bayonet groove for the reception of the lug, a member longitudinally shiftable on the plunger in the vertical branch of the groove and yieldable means exerting pressure on said member, said member obstructing the circumferential branch of the groove, said lug being of less axial length than at least a portion of said circumferential branch of the groove whereby the barrel and plunger may have relative longitudinal movement, a spring nor mally holding the barrel and plunger at one limit of said movement, and means withdrawing the member from its obstructing position in the groove as the barrel and plunger are shifted to the opposite limit of said movement against the action of the spring.

2. In combination, a barrel, a plunger in the bore of the barrel, the barrel in its bore having a lug and the plunger having a bayonet groove for the reception of the lug, a member longitudinally shiftable on the plunger in the vertical branch of the groove and yieldable means exerting pressure on said member, said member obstructing the circumferential branch of the groove, said lug being of less axial length than at least a portion of said circumferential branch of the groove whereby the barrel and plungermay have relative longitudinal movement, a spring normally holding the barrel and plunger at one limit of said movement, means withdra wing the memher from its obstructing position in the groove as the barrel and plunger are shifted to the opposite limit of said n'iovement against the action of the spring, and a thrust element interposed between the spring and plunger upon which the plunger seats when at the last named limit of its movement.

3. In combination, a barrel, a plunger in the bore of the barrel, the barrel in its bore having a lug and the plunger having a bayonet groove for the reception of the lug, a

plunger in the vertical branch of the groove and yieldable means exerting pressure on said member, said member obstructing the circumferential branch of the groove, said lug being of less axial length than at least a portion of said circumferential branch of the groove whereby the barrel and plunger may have relative longitudinal movement, a spring normally holding the barrel and 10 plunger at one limit of said movement, said member having an operating stem coming into operative engagement With the barrel as the barrel and plunger are shiftedto the opposite limit of said movement against the action of said spring to thereby Withdraw the member and enable movement of the lug into the vertical branch of the groove.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

JAMES R. ROBB. 

